Neal sees early playing opportunity at USC

Monday

May 13, 2013 at 12:01 AMMay 14, 2013 at 12:06 AM

Phil Kornblut

WR DJ Neal of Stone Mountain, GA confirmed Monday night what he had tweeted out Sunday night. He will commit to USC Thursday following his spring game. The game will commence at 5:00 PM. Neal said he's looked closely at the Gamecock program and the chance for early playing time was big to him. "I just looked at the depth chart," he said. "And I went there and the coaching staff, they were great. I feel like I fit in around the program. The school is just nice. I got along with most of the players. But the depth chart is what really pulled me towards South Carolina." Neal said he caught 91 passes last season for just under 1000 yards and he believes he can be an asset in the USC offense. "I will be able to make big plays for them," he said. "Blocking wise, I'll have that down pat by the time I get to South Carolina. It's just being a play maker." Neal said Tennessee and Clemson were the next two on his list. He also has offers from Vanderbilt, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Michigan State and others. He knows the recruiting pressure won't end with a commitment to USC. "I'm not going to be really looking at any other schools," he said. "I might still take visits but it's going to be pretty hard to pull me away unless something happens with the depth chart. That's the only thing that might change my mind. I've got my mind set on where I'm going to school." Neal will become USC's first commitment for the 2015 class when he makes his pledge.